Can feeding and righting machine.



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CAN FEEDING AND RIGHTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2441906.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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No. 880,119. PATENTED PEB. 25, 1908. M. D. BLAKESLEE.

CAN FEEDING AND RIGHTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 24.1906.

5 SHEETS-SHEET a.

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A #any y PATBNTED FEB. 25, 1908.

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M. D. BLAKESLEB. GAN PBEDING AND RIGHTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 24. 1906.

r`l n 57 Aftornaz/ No. 880,119. PATENTED FEB. 25, 1908.

M. D. BLAKESLEB.'

GAN FEEDING AND RIGHTING MACHINE.

' APPLICATION FILED AUG. 24.1906.

5 SHEBTS-SHEET 5.

for Witnesses: aan ggzw MMM' UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEToE.

MERTON BLAKESLEE, OF CAZENOVIA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TOHENRY BURDEN, SECOND; OF CAZENOVIA, NEW YORK. l.,

. CAN FEEDING AND RIGHTING MACHINE.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 25, 1908.

Application tiled August 24. 1906. Serial No. 331.888.

To all'whom it may concern:

Be it known that, MERTON D. BLAKEs- LEE, of Cazenovia, in the county ofMadison, in the State-of New York, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Can Feeding and Righting Machines, of which thefollowing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is afull, clear, and eXact description.

This invention relates to improvements in can-feeding and rightingmachines by which the empty cans are conveyed some distance.

from the source of supply and are automatically deposited upon asuitable supporting bed with their open sides uppermost ready to receivethe material with which they are to be filled.

My object is to reduce the labor and cost of supplying cans right sideup to the filler by providing automatic mechanism for righting the canswith their open sides at the top while in transit from the source ofsupply to the -filler, thereby enabling the empty cans to be fed byhand, promiscuously into a ho per or chute at the source of supply and oviating the necessity for further attention to the cans while in transitto the filler.

A portion of niypresent device, relating to the righting of the cans,with their open sides uppermost, is similar to that disclosed 'in mypending application, Serial No.

303,064, filed February 26, 1906, but involves certain additions andimprovements which makes it possible to feed the cans, one by one, fromremote parts of the building without the eniploymeint of' manual labor,exce t at the receiving station or source of supp y where the empty cansare romiscuously, and therefore, rapidly dumpe( into a suitable hopperor chute leading to the righting mechamsm.

The more specific objects of my present invention relate to certaindotents and tripping devices whereby the cans may be automatically andsuccessively arranged end to end,.or side by side, and caused to travelin ditl'erent directions before. reaching the righting device proper,wherel they are separated and caused to gravitnte, right side up upon asuitable support leading to the iller. f

Other objects relating to the righting device proper will be brought outin the following i escription.

1n the drawings-l `igure 1. is a top plan of my improved can-feeding andrighting machine. Fig. 2 is a top plan of the detached supporting bedupon whieh.`the cans are finally deposited right side up, showing alsothe means for feeding said cans from said support. Fig. 3 is an enlargedlongitudinal sectional view through the righting device proper, showingthe separate chutes through which the cans travel, right side up, uponthe underlying support. Fi 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on Fine1 -4, Fig. 1. Fi 5 is a sectional view taken 4on line 5-5, Iiig. 4. Fig.6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 6 6, Fig. 1.- Fig.- 7 is asectional view taken on line 7#7-, Fig. 6. Figs. 8 and 9 are enlargedend` views of the righting device proper, showing the separating bladesand righting mechanism in different positions. Fig. 1() is an enlarged.transverse sectional View taken on line 10-10, Fig. 1.

In this particular device the empty cans are placed promiscuously byhand, upon the upper end of an inclined chute -1- along which theygravitate against a vertically movable stop -2- at the low end of saidchute Where they are temporarily held before delivery upon an endlessconveyer -3, which, in this instance, travels along the bottom of aguide -4- at substantially right angles to the chute -1- and is providedwith upwardly projecting abutments -5- spaced a uniform distance apartsomewhat greater than the length of the can, as best seen in Figs. 1, 4and 5. The lower outlet end of the chute -1-- is disposed in a plane asufficient distance above the conveyer -3- to permit the 4cans to travelfreely thereunder when engaged by the abutments --5-. The detent -2- ismovable vertically into and out of the path of the descending cans andis actuated in its vertical movement by means of a lever -6- andbellcrank --7- which is flexibly connected to said lever by a chain orequivalent link -7. This detent -2- is guided in its vertical movementupon a suitable support 8 and is held in its downward or holdingposition by means of a spring -9- acting upon one end of the Vlever -6-,the latter being fulcrumed at 1.0- to a standard on the support -8-.

The bell-crank -7- constitutes what may be termed a tripping-pawl whichis adjustably fulcrumed at --11- upon a suitable support -12- and hasoneof its arms projectin downwardly into the pathpf the movin a utments 5as best seen 1n Fig.

4, so t "at asjthe conve er belt is moved in the direction indicated yarrow Fig. 4, the abutments 5' successively engage and rock the lowerend of the tripping pawl or bell-crank 7 in the same direction therebyrocking the lever 6 through the medium of a connection 7 and elevatingthe detent 2 against the action of the spring 9 ,'This elevation of thedetent 2 allows the advance can engagedtherewith to gravitate through anopening 13 in the bottom of the chutel 1 and onto the conveyer belt 3between two adjacent abutments 5 one of whic advances against the end ofthe can and arries it forwardly from beneath the openinr 13- leaving aclear space for the reception of the succeedingcan upon the conveyerbelt. The tripping awl 7 is adjusted with reference to the a utments 5so that it elevates the detent 2 to release the can just after thepreceding abutment has passed beyond thev opening 13 permitting the cantol fall u on the conveyer slightly 1n advance of the a utment that lasttripped the pawl 7 which abutment engages the adjacent end of the canand moves it under the opening 13 The degree and time of movement of thetripping'pawl 7 are regulated so that as soon as the detent Qis'elevated sufliciently, the abutment which engages the lower end ofthe tripping pawl 7 will have been moved by and out of the path of saidpawl,v permitting the detent and its actuating pawl to be rocked totheir normal positions by the act-ion of the spring 9 upon the lever 6It is now obvious that the cans, as a roll in succession down theinclined chute 1 and are deposited, one by one, upon the conveyer belt 3which carries them forward in similar succession end to end along theguide lt from which they are automatically discharged laterally into theupper end of a second inclined chute 15 which is located a predetermineddistance from the outlet of the chute 1 This second chute 15 opens intoone side of the guide 4 and directly opposite this opening is placed anoscillatory gate or sweep 16 which is hinged at 17 to the bottom of theguide 4 'at one side of the path of movement of the cans opposite tothat from which the chute 15 leads, said gate or sweep Abeing actuatedintermittingly or as the cans are successively presented to' or alinedwith the adjacent end of th echute 15 to force the cans successivelyinto said chute along which they gravitate to the righting devicepresently described.

The action of the gate or swee i l6 is controlled by a vtrigger 20 w 'chis pivoted at l 21 to a bracket on the guide L1-fand has one endprojecting into .the path of and adapted to be successively engaged bythe yabutments 5 while its other end is connected by a link 22 to thegate 16 The,vtrigger 20 is adjusted so that as each can is brought intoalinement with the gate ]6 and adjacent open end of the chute 15 it isengaged and tripped by thepreceding abutment 5, thereby operating saidgate inwardly against the action of a s ring 23 to force the adj acentcan into t 1e open end of the chute 15 along which it gravitates to therighting device previously mentioned. The trigger- 20-- and itsactuating abutment are so related that as soon as the can isl dischargedby the gate 16 int-o the chute 15 the trigger is moved out of the pathof its operating abutment, and together with the gate, is returned toits normal position by the spring 23 ready to divert the sucl ceedingcan from the guide 4 into the chute 15 The cans arethus successivelydischarged side by side into the chute 15 along which they roll bygravity to the righting device..

Certain parts of the righting device are described in my pendingapplication previously 1 referred to, the essential elements of whicconsist of a horizontal can-supporting bed 25- which receives the cansfrom the lower end of the chute --15 and is -movable back and forthacross the open upper ends of a series of separate vertical can chutes26-, a series of vertically movable blades --27- for se arating the cansand alining them with t eir respective chutes 26 and a seriesl of canrighting fingers' 28 movable back and forth and vertically to enter'andlift the open sides of the cans which may face the fingers to cause saidcans to be reci'pitated right' side up into their respective chutes 26The gravity of the cans causes them to roll against one another down theinclined chute 15 and upon the sliding bed 25 until the first advancingcan encounters a vertically movable stop 29 at the opposite end of thebed 25 as best seen in Fig. 1. The movement of the blades 27 stop 29 andfingers 28 are synchronized in such mannerthat when the stop 29-- is inits operative position for limiting the forward movement of the cans,the blades are raised above the path of movement of said cans and thefingers 28 are drawn back to their eXtreme positions away from theadjacent end of said cans, but immediately upon the elevation of thestop 29 to allow the cans to advance afurther limited distance theblades 27 are caused to automatically descend between the cans toseparate them and hold them in vertical alinement with their respectiveunderlying --2S-- are caused to advance toward the adjacent ends of thecans so that if the open sides of said ans are presented to the fingersthe latter will enter a slight distance into the can openings, therebyholding and slight-ly elevating the open end, during which operation,the sliding bottom ----is withdrawn from under the cans allowing them toprecipitate right side up into their respective chutes and upon anunderlying bed in position to be conveyed to a filler or other machine,not necessary to herein illustrate or describe. The can supporting bed-25- is mounted at its ends upon suitable guides -31- of the mainsupporting-frame --32- and consist essentially of a bottom plate 3S- anda top plate 34, which latter is movable upon the upper surface of thelower plate -33-, and will be hereafter termed the agitator-plate, theobject of which is to feed the cans forwardly a limited distance afterthe stop -29- has been elevated, or untilv the iirst advancing can isbrought against a fixed limiting stop -35-, as best seen in Figs. l and3. When the cans are brought to this position by their own gravity aidedby the action of the agitatorplate -33 their meeting faces are disposedin nearly vertical alinement with the separating blades -27- so thatduring the descent of the latter they readily enter between thecontiguous faces of the cans, thereby separatingr them one from theother and holding them in vertical alinement with their respectivechutes 26- during the action of the righting fingers 2S- and until thebottom 25- is withdrawn from under the cans.

'lhe movement of the can-supporting bed -25- is also synchronized withthe action of the separating blades 27-, as will be clearly brought outin the following(lescription-`: lt is now apparent that the bedplate Q5-forms a continuation of the chute V-15--. 'lhe lower plate -38-- isactuated back and forth by mea-ns of bellcrank levers -f6 located atopposite sides of the machine and actuated in one direction by links--37-v and rotary disks --38- which are mounted upon a continuouslyrotating .driving shaft 3Q-'- and are provided with studs 4()- adaptedto engage an'oflset 4l-- on the link S7-.- ltotary motion'is impartedfrom thel drivingshaft -39- to a parallel shaft --12- through the mediumgea rs43 and 4f-lsecured respectively to the shal'ts -SEF- and 42. rlhegear -43- is substantially twice the pitch of the gear -42- with whichit meshes and has practically one-half o'll its teeth removed so thatwhile the shaft 42 is rotated at substantially twice the speed of thedriving shaft --29- it only males one revolution at each completerevolution o'lI the gear 43- and remainsat rest during onehalf of eachrevolution of the driving shaft for a purpose presently described.

As best seen in Fig. S, the oll'set portion path of the stud so as toengage and lift the link -37 during substantially onefourth of therevolution of the shaft -39-, thereby operating the levers 3G- andbedplates --25- connected thereto from their normal closed positionsshown in Fig. 8 to their open position shown in Fig. 9. As the disks $8-continueto rotate the links -37- are forced out of operative connectionwith their respective studs -40- with suitable strips -45- which areadjustably mounted upon disks dt, the object of such adjustment of thetripping devices -45-- being to regulate the time of release ordisengagement of the links -37- from the studs -40- and consequentreturn of the levers 56- and bed-plates 25 to their normal closedposition, as ell`ected' by suitable retracting springs -46-. During thehalf revolution of t-he. driving shaft B9-'- when the driven shaft is atrest, the sliding bed -25 is normally closed; the blades -37- arenormally elevated above the path of the cans and the fingers -28- arenornially drawn back to their extreme rearward positions, the action ofthe blades 27-- and fingers 2S being primarily cont-rolled by disks-49-- on the driven shaft- -42-- in the manner presently described. Thefingers d-28--` are slidably mounted in a rod or shaft -50- extendingfrom. side to side of the machine and having its ends rigidly secured insuitable rock-arms 51 having their rear ends pivotally connected at -52-to the disks 4Q- The intermediate portions of thel arms 51 are slottedto receive lixed fulcrums --53F which are mounted upon the mainsupporting frame -32- between the rod or bar -5()- and driven shaft-42-, these fulcrums being located in a plane nearly co-incident withthe direct line drawn between the axis of the driven shaft 42.-- andcenter of the cans when resting upon the bed-plate #25.

It is now evident that when the disks --49- are rotated from .theirnormal or starting positions, in the direction indicated by arrow s'-,the rear ends of the arms --51d arev elevated and carried forward,thereby depressing the tingcrs -28--, and at the same time forcing themforwardly into engagement with the adjacent ends of the cans, and as thedisks 49m continue to rotate through the first half revolution, throwingthe fingers -2S- from their extreme rearward to the extreme forwardpositions, the fingers which engage the closed ends of the cans will beforced back through' the rod --50- against the action of theirretracting springs -54-, while the open ends of t-he 'i olution of the'disks -49-, at which .time

the cans entered by their respective fingers will be brought nearly toan upright position,

right side up, or with their open 4sides at the top so that as the cansupporting-bed -25 is withdrawn from one ofthe cans those having theirclosed ends facing the fingers will gradually tilt bottom downward uponthe receding edge lof said bed and fall right side up into theirrespective chutes -26-, while those cans into the open ends o f whichthe fingers -28- have been forced will simply be held with their opensides uppermost untll the supporting table is entirely 'withdrawn fromunder the same. During the last onequarter revolution of the disks -49-,during which time the can-supporting bed -25- is completely open thefingers 2S-- are withdrawn from the open ends of the cans which they areholding, thereb releasing such cans and allowing them to fal by gravityright side up into their respective chutes The blades -27- are arrangedside by side a predetermined distance apart substantiallyequal to thediameter of the can and are secured at one end to a rock-shaft having aradiall projecting arm -61- which is connected liy-a chain or otherflexible connection -62- to one o1' the arms -51- near its connectionwith the disk 49-, said rock-shaft -60- being provided with anadditional arm -64-, which is connected to a spring -65- -for aiding andaccelerating the descent ofthe blades- 27- between the cans. Thefiexible connection -62- is so adjusted that when the disk -49- is inits normal or starting position, as seen in Fig. 8, .the arm -51- isdrawn to .its extreme rearward position, thereby tightening'the cable62- and rocking the arm -61 and shaft -60-, and elevating the blades -27to their eXtremey 11p-positions against the action of the spring 65These blades +27- and fingers -28 remain in their normal positions,shown in F ig. 8, during practically half of a revolution of the drivingshaft -39- and its disks -38--, or while the can supporting bed -25- isclosed across the open upper ends of the chutes -26-, thereby allowing afree passage for the cans across and upon said bed. While these partsjust described are in their normal position the stop -29- is rocked toits operative position by an arm -66 on the rock-shaft 60-, said armbeing con'- nected by a yielding flexible connection' *67- to one end ofa lever -68- upon which the stop -29- is mounted.

The gear -43 is provided with a pin G9- adapted to engage a radiallyprojecting pin -70- on the gear -44- at about the same time that thestud 4or shoulder 4U-.- is brought into liftin engagement with theoffset 41- of the link --37-- so that after each interval of rest, ofthe gear -44- and its driving shaft -42- the disks --49-l begin torotate at about the same time that the stud -40- engages the offset--41-` of Pthe link -37- causing simultaneous actionof -thecan-supporting bed -25-; blades -27g fingers -28-, and

stop -29-; that is, immediately upon the' initial forward movement ofthe fingers- -28- the cable -26 is slackened, allowing the stop -29- tobe Iimmediately thrown u wardly by a retracting spring' 'can-supportingbed -25- is being drawn backwardly by the lever 36 and the fingers 28-are being advanced against the adjacent ends of the cans. These cansnormally rest upon the bed-plates -25- directly above their respectivechutes, and it is obvious that when the bed-plate is withdrawnirom underthe cans those having their closed ends facing the fingers *28H willtilt bottom downwardly upon the recedingedge of the plate -25-- and fallright side up into their respective chutes, whilev those having theiropen sides facing said fingers are entered by said fingers, as best seenin Fig. 10, thereby temporarily supporting and elevating the open endsof' the cans during the recession of the bed -25-, and as soon as saidbed has receded sufficiently to allow the latter cans to drop into theirrespective chutes the fingersy -28- are withdrawn Jfrom the o en endsofthe cans, thereby releasing the latter allowing them to fall rightside up into their respective chutes.

The fingers 2S- are all guided in suitable a ertures in the bar -50- andare norma ly projected outwardly by comparatively light springs -54- sothat those fingers which engage the closed end of the cans are forcedbackwardly against the action of their springs -54- although thefrictional contact of the fingers with the closed ends of the cans isinsufficient to prevent the free gravitation of said closed endsdownwardly into the chutes. This operation of righting the cans by thefingers *28- takes place while the supporting-bed -25- is beingwithdrawn from its normal closed to its open position, as shown in Fig.10, that is, the fingers --2S- are moved from their extreme rearward totheir extreme forward positions during a uartcr turn of the disks M38-,or rather rom the time that the studs engage the offset -41.-, until theinterlocking connection between said stud and link -37 is broken by thetrip W", at which time the can-supporting bed is instantly returned toits closed position by the retracting spring --46-. It is obvious thatunder this action of the can supporting bed and tripping fingers `thecans are instantly precipitated into their respective chutes evenbefore' the sup )orting bed is withdrawn to its limit so that tlie canswhich .formerly rested upon the bed are all reci itated into theirrespective chutes be ore t e return of the supporting bed to its closedposition ready to receive another series of cans.

While the can supporting bed is o en the blades 27- are down and inorder t at the cans in the inclined chute 15-'may be temporarily heldback While the bed -25- is open, I rovide the rock-shaft -60- With aAstopbla e 8U- near the discharge end of the chute 15* and against whichthe cans rolling down said chute abut when the blades 29- are down.

In order to prevent `the upward displacement or buckling of the canswhile rolling along and upon the bed Z5- I provide a series ofhorizontal stop fingers or presserbars -81- which are secured to a fixedportion of the frame -32-, as best seen in Figs. 1 and 10. I preferablyprovide one of these fingers for each can and arrange them directly overthe path of said can's when rolling against the abutment -29-.

The su plemental bed-plate -34--has a horizontti) vibratory oroscillatory movement which is brought about b means of a link S2- havingone end pivotally connected to a plate -34- and its other end pivotallyattached at -83- to the main supporting frame -32- so that as the mainbedplate -33- is reciprocated back and forth across the upper ends ofthe chutes -26- the supplemental plate -34- which frictionally engagesthe top face of the main late -33- is similarly moved back and orth andis at the same time moved endwise by the link -82- to shift the canswhich rest thereon toward the stop -35-- This auxiliary or supplementalplate -34- has sliding interlocking connection with the main supportingbed -33- by means of a bar S4- and clips -85, as best seen in Figs. 8, 9and 10, the the plate -33-, and also forming a guide for thelongitudinal movement ofthe plate -34- upon the plate -33-.

The operation, briefly described is as follows: The cans are fedpromiscuously into bar S4- forming a part of l the chute -1- along whichthey roll by gravity and are automatically deposited end to end upon thetraveling` carrier --3-- by which they are conveyed to the secondinelined chutel 15- into which they are automatically discharged insuccession, and along which they roll by gravity upon the supporting bed-25- until the first advancing can engages the stop 2Q- During thisfeoding of the cans upon the bed -25- the blades -27-- are, of course,elevated and the selecting fingers 28-- withdrawn to their eXtremerearward position, these parts remaining in such )ositions duringpractically a half revolution of the disks 3S- and driving shaft -39-,thus allowing ample time for the cans to accumulate upon the bed -25-,whereupon the stud 40- engaging the link 37 operates the levers -36- tothrow the can supporting bed -25- forwardly to uncover the chutes -26-,and at the same time the stop -29- is elevated to allow the cans to moveagainstthe stop -35- and the blades -27- are then releasedby the advancemovement of the arms 51 and fingers -28-, allowing the blades 27 todescend into and hold the cans in registration with their underlyingchutes, the stop-blade -80- serving to temporarily check the furthermovement of the cans from the chute 1.5- onto the receding bed. As thecan supporting bed 25- is continuous it is withdrawn from under the cansthose having their closed ends facing the fingers v-28--- tilt bottomdown over the receding edge of the bed into their respective chuteswhile those which have their o en ends facing the fingers 28 are entereby said fingers and the open ends are elevated by the continued rockingmovement of the arms -51-, causing said cans to be tilted bottomdownward and to fall into this position into their respective chutes.The support -30 is provided with one or more openings 96- into which thecans are successively fed by fingers 91 on an endless belt -90- whichisl mounted upon sprocket wheels -92- and is driven by suitable gears-94- and a driving shaft -95-, as best seen in Fig. 2.

What I claim is:

l. In a can-righting machine, an inclined chute along which the cans areadapted to roll, a carrier running transverselyof and in proximity tothe low endof said chute and receiving the cans therefrom, a drtent atthe low end of the chute for temporarily holding the cans in said chute,means actuated by the carrier for tripping the detent,

automatic means actuated by the carrierfor 2. `In a can-rightingmachine, a can chute having an outlet, a movable detent in the path ofthe cans near the outlet, a conveyer for receiving the cans fromsaidoutlet, means actuated by the conveyer for tripping the detent to permitthe cans to gravitate in succession onto the conveyer, means actuated bythe conveyer for 'automatically forcing the cans therefrom whenbrought'to a predetermined position, and a can-righting mechanismreceiving said cans from the conveyer and arranging them right side upwith their open ends at the top.

3. In a can-righting machine, an inclined can-chute having an outlet, ladetent projecting into the chute in the path of the cans near theoutlet, a conveyer traveling under the outlet, meansactuated by`theconveyer for tripping the detent at regular intervals to allow the cansto gravitate one by one onto the conveyer, means forautomatically`forcing the cans, one by one, from the conveyer when brought to apredetermined position,l a can righting mechanism and means forreceiving the'cans from the conveyer and carrying them to the' rightingdevice.

4.. In a can-righting machine, a can chute having an outlet at its lowend, a conveyer adapted to receive the cans discharged through saidoutlet, and to arrange them end to end thereon, a detent movable intoand out of the path of the cans at the outlet, abutments on the conveyerfor engaging the ends of the cans and feeding them endwise, and meansactuated by said abutments for tripping the detent at regular intervals.

5. In a can feeding and righting machine, an inclined chute having anoutlet at its lower end, a conveyer traveling under the low end of thechute for receiving the cans and conveying them away from said chute,means at the low end of the chute and actuated by the conveyer forfeeding the cans one by one from the chute onto the conveyer, a swingingate actuated by the conveyer for forcing t e cans laterally from saidconveyer as they are successively presented thereto, and la canrightingmechanism receiving the cans as they are successively dischargedfrom the conveyer by said gate.

6. In a can feeding and righting machine, an inclined chute along whichthe cans are adapted to roll, a carrier runnin transversely of and inproximity to the ow side of the chute and receiving the cans therefrom,a detent at the low end of the chute for temporarily holding the cans insaid chute, means actuated by the carrier for tripping the detentwhereby the cans are fed one by one upon the conveyer, an inclined chuteleading laterally from one side of the conveyer, a swinging gate in linewith the open end of the latter chuteI but at the o posite side of theconveyer for forcing t e cans one by one from the conveyer in the latterchute asthey are successively pre-` carrier for feeding a series of canssuccessively in one direction, achute leading from one side of theconveyer, ay swinging gate movable transversely of the path of movementof the conveyer for forcing the cans into said chute, means actuated bysaid conveyer for. operating the gate, and additional means forreceiving the cans from the chute and arranging them with their-openends uppermost.

9. In a can-ri hting machine, auf-"endless carrier having a utmentsthereon spaced a uniform distance apart for engaging the cans andfeeding them successively m one direction, means actuated by saidabutment for forcing lthe cans one by one from the conveyer as they aresuccessively presented at a given point, and additional means forreceivmg the can which are forced from the conveyer and arranging-themwith their open endsu permost.

10. n a can-righting machine, an endless convfyer having a series ofabutments spaced a un` orm distance apart for engaging the ends of the'cans and feeding them succesversely across the up er ace of the conveyerfor forcing the cans t erefrom when resented at a given point in theline of trave of said conveyer, means actuated by said abutments foroperatingsaid gate, an inclined chute leading laterally from theconveyer at the side of the conveyer opposite the gate, and acanrighting mechanism receiving the cans from the chute and arrangingthem with their open ends uppermost.

11. In a can-righting machine, a series of upright can chutes, a cansupporting bed movable across the upper open ends of said chutes, andhaving an independent vibrator movement, means to actuate said bed,addltional means to ri ht the cans with their o en ends uppermost W ilethe can supporting Bed is being Withdrawn from the upper ends of thechutes whereby said cans are allowed to fall bottom downward into theirrespective chutes.

12. In a can-righting machine, a series of can-chutes arranged si e byside, a can-supsively in one direction, a ate movable trans- CTL portingbed vmovable back and forth across the open endsl of said chutes, meansfor actuating said bed, additional means .to feed the cansu on the bedwhen covering the open ends o the chutes7 stop iingers overh'anging thebed to prevent u ward displacement of the cans, and means or causingsaid cans to spective chutes.

gravitate bottoni downward into their re- 13.l In a can-rightingmachine, a; series of upright can chutes arranged side by side, a can'supporting bed covermg the upper ends of the chutes, means to feed apredetermined number of cans upon the bed directly over the chutes, avertically movable stop engaging the first advancing cans as they travelacross the bed,y means forvwithdrawing the can supporting bed from underthe cans, ad

- ditional means for elevating the stop at about the same time that thebed begins to be withdrawn, a series of supoporting blades. and. etweenthecans immeans for forcing them mediately upon the elevation of thestop, a

series of iingers and means for actuating the same to cause said iingersto en age one end of thecans and to enter thoseaving their o en endsfacing the iingers, and means for e evating the fingers after engagingthe cans),

whereby those having their o en ends faclng the fingers are tiltedright'side up and allowe'd to drop by gravit onto theirrespectivechutes, while those aving their closed ends facing the fingers tilt fby'gravity upon the recedin edge of the supportingbed and fall rightsi e upinto their respective chutes.-

14. In a can righting machine,. a series ofl canvchutes, al cansupporting bed covering said chutes, means to feeddtvhe cans upon thebed vertical alinement with their respective chutes, means to movethebed to one side of the chutes from under the cans 'whereby the canshaving their closed ends facing in one direction are caused to gravitatebottom downward into the chutes, and additional means at the o positeside of the chutes for engagingv and e evating the open ends of the cansto allow themto drop bottom downward into their res ective chutes.

15. In a can rig ting machina, a can supporting bed and a series ofunderlying can chutes, said bed havin a su plemen-tal plate movableback'and fort an laterall means for feeding the cans upon the suppemental plate',` additional means for moving the bed in one direction atone side of the chutes to permit the cans having their closedends'facing in lthe o posite direction to fall by gravity bottomownw'ard into the chutes, and a series of yieldin ingers at the opposite-side of the chutes a apted to enter the adjacent open endsof the .cansand tov elevatethem so

